Japanese knife maker slices into India

Kai recently began operations at an Indian factory where it makes kitchen and beauty products. The unlisted company says it the first Japanese cookware maker to produce and sell its products in India. It aims for about 1.8 billion yen ($15.8 million) in sales there in 2019.

Until now, Kai imported kitchen utensils and other products from Japan for sale in India. The company hopes to distribute its products to 190,000 mainly owner-operated Indian stores by 2020. It will sell four products made exclusively for the local market, including knives, razors and nail clippers. By marketing itself as a high-quality Japanese brand with low prices, Kai seeks to grow its market share.